New Zealand

This concluding chapter discusses New Zealand’s interaction with international law, adopting a chronological approach which takes account of the increasing authority of New Zealand’s institutions since 1840, when British colonization began. Over this period, New Zealand has developed and diversified its international trading, political, and strategic relations with other states, and has experienced the broadening and deepening of international law which has responded to massive scientific, technical, environmental, and geopolitical developments. The chronological approach also helps to identify major changes in New Zealand’s positions on, and contributions to, international law. Also central are New Zealand’s geography and population. It was first settled by Polynesians and later populated by Europeans, mainly British, who began to arrive only 200 years ago. Now, New Zealand has a rapidly diversifying population, with increasing numbers of people relocating from the Pacific and Asia.